New wave of local companies tackles Lou Gehrig's disease

Patrizia Fanara and David Fineman of KineMed.

Hoping to find clues for unlocking potentially lucrative cures to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, drug development companies are starting with a more obscure but equally devastating condition: Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Five Bay Area companies and at least four local research institutions are working on programs in Lou Gehrig’s, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis., which over three to five years gradually immobilizes patients’ bodies while their minds remain sharp.
What’s more, they’re finding success.
Each of the companies is pursuing different ALS bets, indicating how little is really known about the disease. But their goals are the same: In the short term, expand the options for the 30,000 ALS patients in the United states beyond the single drug that exists today. Longer term, they hope to use what they learn to target more prevalent diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Third Rock biotech startups find work-share partner in Cytokinetics

Cytokinetics' Robert Blum.

There's a line of thought in the cash-sucking biotech world that once a small company gets a drug into the clinic -- especially if investors want to accelerate their return -- that it winds down research operations. Robert Blum doesn't buy it. Instead, the president and CEO ofCytokinetics Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTK) has discovered a way to help pay for his research staff while awaiting the results of a handful of clinical trials: Rent out their expertise.

Third Rock pumps $40.7 million into sickle cell startup Global Blood Therapeutics

Drug developers talk a lot about “large patient populations,” “unmet medical needs” and a “clear path to approval.” Yet sickle cell disease, one of the knottiest diseases meeting all those criteria, has gone years without a breakthrough commercial treatment.
That might prove an advantage for Global Blood Therapeutics Inc., the first company birthed by Third Rock Ventures LLC’s West Coast office.

Third Rock and Global Blood announced Thursday morning that it is backing the South San Francisco startup with $40.7 million in Series A financing to discover and develop oral, small molecule drugs to treat sickle cell disease and other conditions involving funky-shaped blood proteins. Essentially, its drugs will aim at pushing those proteins into healthier shapes that change the course of the diseases.

Cytokinetics ALS drug wins 'fast track' designation

Cytokinetics Inc.’s experimental drug to treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, won fast-track designation from the Food and Drug Administration, the company said Thursday.
The drug, CK-2017357, is only in Phase II, but the fast-track status makes the drug eligible for a rolling review of a new drug application, accelerated approval and more frequent meetings with the FDA, all of which could shave months off the approval process.

Cytokinetics ALS drug wins 'orphan' status in Europe

European regulators granted “orphan” status to a potential treatment for Lou Gehrig’s disease developed by South San Francisco’s Cytokinetics Inc.
The drug, known as CK-2017357, is in a Phase II program for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a muscle-wasting and eventually fatal disease that affects 5,600 new people a year in the United States.

Amgen, Cytokinetics start early-stage study of oral heart drug

Cytokinetics Inc. and Amgen Inc. started an early-stage study of the oral form of a cardiac muscle-activating drug.
An intravenous formulation of the drug, called omecamtiv mecarbil, already is in a nearly 600-patient Phase IIb trial by Amgen (NYSE: AMGN).

Cytokinetics takes a swing at Lou Gehrig's disease

Cytokinetics Inc.’s 14-year history is marked by turns — out of cancer and into muscle programs — and a key heart failure drug partnership with biotech giant Amgen Inc. But the South San Francisco company (NASDAQ:CYTK) hasn’t yet taken a drug into the final of three phases of clinical trials, much less brought a drug to market.
Whether Cytokinetics reaches that ultimate goal could rest in the outcome of a mid-stage trials in a tough disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. A strong showing would increase the chance of Cytokinetics finding a deep-pocketed partner to take the drug into Phase III trials.

A new biotech model? Cytokinetics rents space, expertise to Third Rock startup

When scientists at Cytokinetics Inc. have a question about contract research work they’re doing for a biotech startup, they don’t have far to go — just a few steps.
Biotech companies for years have taken on contract research projects, but the landlord-as-contractor arrangement between South San Francisco’s Cytokinetics and venture-backed Global Blood Targeting Inc. marks the latest model to bring money in the door while cutting costs.
For Global Blood, funded by Third Rock Ventures and working on a drug for sickle cell anemia, the move allows it to tap experienced researchers and reduce its startup costs. Publicly held Cytokinetics, meanwhile, keeps valued scientists busy and reduces its net cash burn, thanks to Global Blood payments for space and research work.

Cytokinetics to cut 18 jobs, focus on ALS trial

Cytokinetics Inc. will cut its workforce to 83 people as it focuses its cash on an experimental treatment for Lou Gehrig’s disease and a heart failure program partnered with Amgen Inc., the company said Tuesday.
Among the jobs cut was that of David Morgans Jr., the South San Francisco-based drug developer’s executive vice president of preclinical research and development. He will leave the company Oct. 31.

Cytokinetics to raise $20.1 million in Deerfield stock deal

Cytokinetics Inc., which unveiled new data from a mid-stage study of a drug focused on Lou Gehrig’s disease, said it will raise $20.1 million by selling 5.3 million shares of common stock at $1.50 per share and 8,070 shares of convertible preferred stock at $1,500 per share.
The buyers are entities affiliated with Deerfield Management Co., a health care investment manager, according to South San Francisco-based Cytokinetics (NASDAQ: CYTK).
The preferred stock is non-voting but converts into more than 8 million shares of common stock as long as Deerfield doesn’t own more than 9.98 percent of Cytokinetics common shares.

Cytokinetics loses $11.6M in Q4

Drug maker Cytokinetics Inc. lost $11.6 million in the fourth quarter and $49.3 million for 2010.

The South San Francisco company (NASDAQ: CYTK) lost $12.5 million a year earlier in the fourth quarter. Revenue rose slightly to $1.1 million from $1 million in the same quarter of 2009.

Cytokinetics lost $49.3 million in 2010, compared with a profit of $24.5 million in 2009, when $74.4 million in license revenue swelled its coffers.

Cytokinetics makes board changes

Cytokinetics steps forward with drug to treat ALS symptoms